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Kamala Harris is taking bold steps to empower Black men with her newly launched “Opportunity Agenda,” which includes the promise of legalising marijuana and protecting cryptocurrency assets. The initiative also aims to provide 1 million loans to Black entrepreneurs, a strategic move to win over a community whose votes will be crucial for her success in the upcoming presidential election against Donald Trump.
Recent reports and polls have indicated that Harris is on a razor’s edge with Black male voters, whose support appears to be slipping away.
Kamala Harris plans to legalise marijuana
On Monday, Harris revealed her big plan to push for making marijuana legal at the federal level, which is a huge change from how the Biden team is handling the issue right now. With just three weeks until Election Day, her move comes at a time when former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is picking up support among Black men.
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While, Biden’s government is more about clearing up past marijuana convictions and thinking about changing how the drug is classified, Harris “will break down unjust legal barriers that hold Black men and other Americans back by legalising marijuana nationally, working with Congress to ensure that the safe cultivation, distribution, and possession of recreational marijuana is the law of the land,” according to the campaign via CNBC.
The campaign highlighted that she’s going to fight for Black men to get fair chances to make money and find jobs in the growing national cannabis business. Well, It’s about tackling the long history of being unfairly targeted by the police for using marijuana.
Trump’s stance on legalising marijuana
It looks like both Harris and Trump are aligning their strategies to win over the community. Recently, Trump voiced his support for several pro-cannabis policies, including the legalisation of recreational marijuana in Florida.
While marijuana legalisation enjoys broad appeal across party lines, it particularly strikes a chord with essential Democratic groups, such as Black men and younger voters. A 2022 Pew Research survey found that 61% of Black men support legalisation. Currently, marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Harris outlined her economic plan during a discussion in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Monday.
Harris’ campaign plans to roll out new initiatives
With the U.S. presidential elections just weeks away, the political scene is heating up with pressing issues like immigration, abortion, war, technology, and cryptocurrency—and now marijuana is emerging as a hot topic as well. Vice President Kamala Harris has laid out several initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of the community, including:
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“One million fully forgivable loans of up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs.
Training and mentorship programs designed to help Black men secure jobs in high-demand industries.
Increased investments in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to attract and retain Black male teachers.
cryptocurrency regulation, catering to the more than 20% of Black Americans who own or have owned cryptocurrency.
The establishment of a National Health Equity Initiative focused on improving outcomes for Black men.”